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Should Bellingham hopes to earn his place into England’s best starting eleven, he would be wise to do away with the dramatics. The way he reacted after noticing that his number was being shown after a match of uneven play in the match against Albania was not good enough.

"I don’t want to blow it out of proportion but I hold to my words 'behaviour is key' and consideration for the squad members who enter the game," Tuchel said. "Choices are taken and you have to accept it when you're on the field."

The midfielder must understand. It was unnecessary for a strop. Harry Kane had only moments earlier made it the national team leading by two in an inconsequential fixture, there were six minutes left and Bellingham, following an inconsistent display, received a caution for fouling the Albanian striker. This was hardly a questionable change. Indeed it might have been reckless for the manager to not substitute him considering there was a chance the midfielder would be suspended of the initial fixture of the World Cup by picking up a second caution.

Shifting Focus on Himself

But Bellingham drew all eyes toward himself. No one could overlook the 22-year-old’s frustration as he realized that he was going to make way for Morgan Rogers. He threw his arms up and while he accepted the coach's hand while heading to the touchline it was clear that the head coach did not appreciate it.

This is the challenge that Bellingham must overcome. He praised his teammate for providing the assist for the captain to score the team's second, but everything else was self-defeating. It is not as if protesting was going to reverse the substitution. The coach has stressed repeatedly following squad protocols and the importance of acting professionally.

Under Scrutiny

The midfielder, left out of last month’s squad, has faced close inspection after returning to the squad in the current camp. Essentially his place has been in question and he hasn't helped his case with his response to his substitution as England completed a perfect qualifying campaign by defeating a feisty challenge from their opponents.

The Coach's Plan

It means opinions are divided on if the team operate most effectively including Bellingham. What we saw was inconclusive. Some new ideas were tested by the coach at the start. He has given the squad organization and direction in recent months, employing a defensive midfielder, a box-to-box player, an attacking midfielder and specialist wingers, but there was a different feel against Albania. Jarell Quansah was handed his international debut, Wharton made his first start internationally and the use of John Stones as a part-time midfielder created a similar look to the Manchester club's 2023 treble winners.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham had ups and downs. He made a chance for his teammate after the break but often looked too desperate to impress. There were a lot of hurried and errant passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with an Albania midfielder in the early stages. The team looked disjointed during most of the second period. A scoring chance for the opponents followed Bellingham squandered possession. His booking was shown after an opponent took the ball to Broja and brought down the former Chelsea striker.

Squad Strength Shows

Ultimately the bench quality proved crucial. Tuchel threw on Foden, who looked better suited to the position in which Bellingham operated in the opening period, and the Arsenal winger. Eventually Saka delivered a corner for Kane to break the deadlock. It was a reminder that corners and free-kicks are going to be vital in the upcoming tournament.

Relationship Not Broken

Nevertheless, the focus was on Bellingham. The quality of Rashford's cross for Kane's goal was somewhat overlooked amid the drama of the substitution incident. After the final whistle, the focus was on Bellingham. The coach approached from behind and pushed the player in the direction of the away supporters. Their connection remains intact. The coach isn't ready to give up on the player just yet. Yet whether Tuchel is inclined to offer him centre stage remains in doubt.